Stronghold
by webofdreams89
Summary: Katara didn't care how selfish she was if she could have moments like this. Kataang.


Stronghold

Summary: Katara didn't care how selfish she was if she could have moments like this. Kataang.

Rating: M

Word count: 1,229

* * *

The war is over. The world is at peace for the first time in over a hundred years. More or less. There are still squabbles among the nations, and some aren't yet willing to accept that the new firelord doesn't wish to continue his father's legacy.

We are rebuilding, but the world still needs its avatar. Peace is a fragile thing that must be planted, fertilized, watered, left to grow. It needs time and patience. I think my patience has been quite remarkable and has lasted a lot longer than I ever thought it could. But the war ended six years ago.

I know the world needs its avatar, but I'm selfish. I need him too. And tonight, I finally have him.

When Aang proposed, I knew our engagement would be long. There was just no time to fit in a wedding on top of meetings with the world leaders, peace treaties, the founding of Republic City. And I was okay with this because I knew Aang loved me. Besides, it wasn't like I was sitting around for six years while Aang rebuilt the world. I acted as a liaison from the Southern Water Tribe in my father's stead until he died two years ago. Since then, I've been Sokka's voice. I've been training young waterbenders from my tribe and working in the hospitals as a healer. It has been nonstop for me, so I can only imagine what Aang has been going through as the avatar.

We set our wedding date and since then, the city has been preparing a big ceremony for us. I'm honored that our union is such a big deal to everyone, but was ecstatic when Aang said we should slip away before then and have a small ceremony at the South Pole.

Tonight, we were married. I don't know how the managed it on such short notice, but Toph, Zuko, and Bumi managed to make it down too. Sokka gave me away with tears in his eyes.

Suddenly, I'm restless. Aang is sleeping next to me, his arms holding me close. I look at him and see so many things ahead of us, but for right now, I must show him something.

"Aang," I say, waking him. I feel a bit bad about it because it is so rare that he gets to sleep more than a few hours a night, but I can't help it. "Aang, sweetie, wake up."

He is startled at first, looking up at me in surprise. But then his eyes focus and he smiles at me. "Hey Katara," he says groggily.

I smile back at him. "Come on," I say, "we have to get dressed."

"Get dressed?" he asks, snuggling close to me. "Why? I'd rather just stay here in bed with you."

"You'll see," I say. "It'll be worth it." Quickly, I kiss him and leap out of bed, leaving him little choice but to follow me.

We pull on our clothes, boots, and heavy furs. Grabbing him by the hand, I lead Aang through the village and down a path I haven't taken since my mother was still alive.

It is a cold night, colder than I had been out in in a long time. It snowed recently and was nearly up to my knees in places. Still, Aang never said a word, simply holding tight to my hand as I lead the way.

Finally, we came upon it. It looked like a hill of snow, but I waterbend the snow away to reveal the remains of an old tower. Time and age had worn most of it away until it only stood about twenty-five feet. Smiling at him, I began climbing the stairs.

"What is this place, Katara?" Aang asks me when we reach the top. It was only a small landing that once lead to another floor.

"This is where my family used to live a long time ago," I say. "This is all that's left."

"I had no idea the people in the Southern Water Tribe used to live in castles," he says, amazed. I watch as Aang looks around, taking in the view.

"Well," I say, laughing, "it was abandoned a long time before even _you _were born.

"Mom used to tell me that the ancient people had the stone imported all the way from the Earth Kingdom before it even was the Earth Kingdom yet. The earthbenders offered to build for us, but we wanted to do it ourselves. It took a long time, but we were proud. Once the stone was all in place, the waterbenders reinforced everything with ice and it kept the buildings so warm that they barely even needed fires. At least during the day. You know how the nights are here."

"They're cold," Aang agrees. He brushes a strand of hair from my face and tucks it back into the hood of my parka. "But the nights are always cold when I'm away from you."

He leans down to kiss me then. I remember when he was shorter than me, when we were still at war. I hadn't noticed him growing taller until he was tall enough to look up to.

His hands on my lower back, I can feel my body stirring under his touch.

"I'm sorry that's taken so long for us to really be alone together like this," Aang says. His eyes are intense and full of love and again I wonder what I could have done to deserve him. Surely I don't.

"Oh Aang, you have nothing to be sorry about. I love you so much."

And to show him, I waterbend the snow to form thick walls of ice around the tower, forming a ceiling above us. It isn't exactly warm, but it cuts the wind out. Stepping back, I pull off parka, my clothes, my underwear. I step back towards him and my fingers fumbling over the buttons of his coat. I pull it off of him and toss it aside. I take his shirt off too. I reach for his pants and still he had not moved. It's almost as if he's in a daze. When his pants hit the floor, he seem to snap out of it.

He waves his hand to the right and creates a free-burning fire and steps closer to me. Aang takes me in his arms, lifting me. I wrap my legs around his waist. He lays me down in the pile of our clothes.

By now, our little tower is hot, scorching, the trail he kisses down my body leaves my skin ablaze. Out here in the middle of nowhere, I don't hold back like I normally do with people in the apartments next door. Out here, I scream loudly as he works his tongue between my legs. I come and come and then he is inside me and I'm clinging to him, kissing him, telling him how much I love him as he takes me higher and higher until I don't think I can take it anymore.

Afterward, we lay on our clothes, our bodies tangled together. "I'm glad you brought me here," Aang says, kissing me sweetly. And suddenly, holding him tightly to me, feeling so much love from and for him, I don't care how selfish I am if can have even just a few moments like this with Aang.


End file.
